The Tale of Odo the Short Hero
by Her Fantasy
Summary: This is my version of Odo's tragic tale. Note: "Short" is in parentheses, but FF won't allow it for the title.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Odo, nor do I own the last verse of this song.

**A/n:** I read a version of Odo's tale a while ago, by SuGaRLiLy - I barely remember it. But ever since, I've always wanted to write one of my own.

In the book, this is described as "a slow sad song about a dying wizard called Odo." That would imply that the whole song is about Odo's death. However, I feel that there isn't much of a story to that, so I wrote a tale of Odo's whole life.

Also, the book mentions something about Hagrid "slumping low onto the table, a little cross-eyed, while Slughorn continued to warble the refrain." I'm guessing the little glimpse of the song that Rowling showed us is the refrain, but I used it as the last verse (since that's where Slughorn stops singing). It wouldn't make sense as a refrain, because the song is not all about his death.

Lastly, in the verse given to us by Rowling, "hero" is not capital, but I capitalized it to better fit my version. I think that's all. So, without further ado, I bring you:

The Tale of Odo the (Short) Hero

_There once was a farm boy named Odo the Short  
Who was teased oft by richer young men.  
Said they: "Little Odo's a pitiful case.  
He belongs with his pigs in their pen!"_

_Now, Odo the Short was a very small boy;  
'Twas a fact that he hated with zeal.  
And ev'ry time somebody mentioned his height,  
How he hated the hurt he would feel!_

_"Oh, Odo's a farm boy - and tiny at that!  
He'll get nowhere!" they taunted with sneers.  
In fact, that was something young Odo did dread.  
It was one of his deep, secret fears._

_He cried, "I cannot live as Odo the Short!  
I'll be miserable as such a man!"  
So Odo amassed all the things he would need,  
And away to a new life he ran!_

_For many long years Odo searched far and wide  
For the glory he desperately craved.  
The older he grew, O! the sadder he got;  
Still he journeyed on roads dirt and paved._

_Then one day he heard a great earsplitting cry;  
'Twas the voice of a maid in distress!  
At last was his chance! Odo raced toward the sound -  
His excitement he could not suppress!_

_When Odo discovered the maiden so fair,  
She was trapped on a great rock, but sound.  
Her face showed her absolute terror and dread,  
For a great Beast was there on the ground!_

_It roared and reared up, and she screamed with alarm,  
And then Odo ran forward and cried,  
"Do not be afraid, my dear Lady, I'm here!"  
"Oh, I thank you!" the maiden replied._

_So Odo the Short slowly walked to the Beast,  
And he knew what he needed to do!  
For Odo remembered how animals felt,  
And, of course, how to calm them down, too._

_In Odo's past life, in his days at the farm,  
He had always been quite good at this.  
The Beast soon was calm; Odo sent him away,  
And the lovely lass gave him a kiss.  
_

_The maiden cried, "O! you have just saved my life!  
Won't you tell me your name, my good sir?"  
He said with a bow, "I am Odo, no more."  
When she curtsied, he smiled at her._

_"I'll take thee back home to the village, kind sir!"  
The fair maiden announced with delight.  
"You're Odo the Hero now! Come to my home.  
I shall wed thee; our future looks bright!"_

_So Odo the Hero, once Odo the Short,  
Did escort the young maid on the way.  
The maiden described to the townsfolk his deeds,  
And they cried, "We salute you today!"_

_But when the young maiden arrived home, she gasped,  
For her parents, enraged, had turned pink!  
"Are you but a fool, girl?" her mother cried out.  
"It is obvious, quite, I should think!"_

_"Oh, what do you mean?" the young maiden inquired.  
"I'll tell you!" her old father said.  
"He must have used witchcraft to scare it away!  
He is evil! And he should be dead!"_

_Now, Odo, of course, was a wizard indeed,  
And the Beast? Well, the father was right:  
He _had_ used his magic to send it away,  
And now Odo felt something like fright._

_This fear that he had now was not without cause,  
For the parents now pounced on his form!  
He reached for his wand in the folds of his cloak,  
But the parents were wild as a storm._

_They grabbed for his wand, and they yanked it away  
Before Odo could utter a spell.  
He cried out in anguish, "Please, give back my wand!"  
But they snapped it in two with a yell._

_And now Odo knew what they wanted to do.  
Could he use wandless magic at will?  
Alas, they were not simply mad animals,  
And they slowly came in for the kill._

_And Odo knew that there was naught he could do,  
So he braced himself, closing his eyes.  
The parents attacked, and soon Odo was dead,  
Never hearing the poor maiden's cries._

_The village folk learned of the horrible crime,  
And they wept; they knew Odo was good!  
They put Odo's body inside a small box,  
And they dressed him as best as they could._

_And Odo the Hero, they bore him back home  
To the place that he'd known as a lad.  
They laid him to rest with his hat inside out*  
And his wand snapped in two, which was sad._

*In the village where the maiden lived, it was a custom to turn the hats of the dead inside out before burying them.


End file.
